Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 2:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 2:13 p.m.

OCALA – Sheriff’s Office detectives have arrested a 21-year-old Ocala man in connection with a string of vehicle arsons in September and October in southwest Marion County that included patrol cars.

Dylan Michael Martin was arrested on six counts of arson Friday. Authorities said he lived across the street from one of the crime scenes.

Authorities said the vehicles were torched in and around the Whispering Pines subdivision. Originally, detectives thought the crimes might be connected to a fire on June 10, 2013, at an abandoned house at 6002 SW 108th St.

However, they do not now believe Martin burned down the house.

Among the damaged vehicles were squad cars belonging to MCSO and the Ocala Police Department as well the personal vehicles of law enforcement officers.

Five vehicles - two patrol cars, two vehicles belonging to law enforcement officers and one other person's vehicle - were actually damaged by fire. The sixth - an MCSO patrol car - was not damaged.

The crimes occurred on the weekends late at night or early in the morning.

"It was a great team effort between the MCSO, OPD and the State Fire Marshal's Office in bringing closure to these arsons,” said sheriff's Lt. Brian Dotten, a property crimes supervisor.

Martin has been in the Marion County Jail since Nov. 5 on unrelated charges. Court records show that in March Martin was adjudicated guilty of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Recently, he was sentenced on a drug possession charge.

In the next three months, Martin has a hearing on charges of dealing in stolen property, giving false verification of ownership to a pawn broker, burglary to a structure, burglary of a conveyance while armed and grand theft.

"I’m very thankful for what Mayor Kent Quinn, Chief Greg Graham and all the members of the OPD for what they did to step up the security of my neighborhood," said OPD Sgt. Sandra Fernland, whose patrol car and personal vehicle was destroyed in the early morning hours of Oct. 13.

A veteran police officer, Fernland said she was asleep inside her residence when she received a call from a fellow supervisor telling her about a fire in her driveway. As she went to the front door, Fernland said, a county firefighter was already banging on the door.

"I was shocked and angry at what happened," she said.

Detectives are unsure about the motive behind the fires but have a few ideas.

At the first fire, which occurred in a civilian's vehicle on the night of Sept. 21, sheriff's officials believe the suspect punched a hole in the back driver’s side window, squirted a flammable liquid inside and lit it. Maybe the excitement of that experience caused the arsonist to start torching other vehicles.

When detectives interviewed him about the fires, he denied any involvement and said that, during the weekends when the fires occurred, he was visiting his girlfriend off Northeast 14th Street.

Detectives built their case against the young man through tips and physical evidence obtained from the State Fire Marshal's Office.

In mid-October, a task force was formed to stake out homes in the neighborhood, where law enforcement officials lived. A couple days later, a detective saw someone pouring gasoline on the hood near the windshield wipers of a patrol vehicle. The detective gave chase but lost the suspect.

The would-be arsonist dropped a water bottle containing gasoline next to the vehicle.

Detectives began receiving information that Martin lives in the neighborhood and was using water bottles to pour gas on police cars. They also obtained phone records that showed Martin was in the area of the first fire on Sept. 21, which is across the street from where he lives, and also that his phone was in the area of the last incident.

They also received additional information that he used at least two separate accelerants - gasoline and kerosene - on the vehicles vehicles. Tests from the State Fire Marshals Office indicate gasoline was used on two of the vehicles.

<p>OCALA – Sheriff's Office detectives have arrested a 21-year-old Ocala man in connection with a string of vehicle arsons in September and October in southwest Marion County that included patrol cars.</p><p>Dylan Michael Martin was arrested on six counts of arson Friday. Authorities said he lived across the street from one of the crime scenes.</p><p>Authorities said the vehicles were torched in and around the Whispering Pines subdivision. Originally, detectives thought the crimes might be connected to a fire on June 10, 2013, at an abandoned house at 6002 SW 108th St.</p><p>However, they do not now believe Martin burned down the house.</p><p>Among the damaged vehicles were squad cars belonging to MCSO and the Ocala Police Department as well the personal vehicles of law enforcement officers.</p><p>Five vehicles - two patrol cars, two vehicles belonging to law enforcement officers and one other person's vehicle - were actually damaged by fire. The sixth - an MCSO patrol car - was not damaged.</p><p>The crimes occurred on the weekends late at night or early in the morning.</p><p>"It was a great team effort between the MCSO, OPD and the State Fire Marshal's Office in bringing closure to these arsons,” said sheriff's Lt. Brian Dotten, a property crimes supervisor.</p><p>Martin has been in the Marion County Jail since Nov. 5 on unrelated charges. Court records show that in March Martin was adjudicated guilty of possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>Recently, he was sentenced on a drug possession charge.</p><p>In the next three months, Martin has a hearing on charges of dealing in stolen property, giving false verification of ownership to a pawn broker, burglary to a structure, burglary of a conveyance while armed and grand theft.</p><p>"I'm very thankful for what Mayor Kent Quinn, Chief Greg Graham and all the members of the OPD for what they did to step up the security of my neighborhood," said OPD Sgt. Sandra Fernland, whose patrol car and personal vehicle was destroyed in the early morning hours of Oct. 13.</p><p>A veteran police officer, Fernland said she was asleep inside her residence when she received a call from a fellow supervisor telling her about a fire in her driveway. As she went to the front door, Fernland said, a county firefighter was already banging on the door.</p><p>"I was shocked and angry at what happened," she said.</p><p>Detectives are unsure about the motive behind the fires but have a few ideas. </p><p>At the first fire, which occurred in a civilian's vehicle on the night of Sept. 21, sheriff's officials believe the suspect punched a hole in the back driver's side window, squirted a flammable liquid inside and lit it. Maybe the excitement of that experience caused the arsonist to start torching other vehicles.</p><p>Maybe, officials said, Martin wanted revenge for being arrested by sheriff's deputies.</p><p>When detectives interviewed him about the fires, he denied any involvement and said that, during the weekends when the fires occurred, he was visiting his girlfriend off Northeast 14th Street.</p><p>Detectives built their case against the young man through tips and physical evidence obtained from the State Fire Marshal's Office.</p><p>In mid-October, a task force was formed to stake out homes in the neighborhood, where law enforcement officials lived. A couple days later, a detective saw someone pouring gasoline on the hood near the windshield wipers of a patrol vehicle. The detective gave chase but lost the suspect.</p><p>The would-be arsonist dropped a water bottle containing gasoline next to the vehicle.</p><p>Detectives began receiving information that Martin lives in the neighborhood and was using water bottles to pour gas on police cars. They also obtained phone records that showed Martin was in the area of the first fire on Sept. 21, which is across the street from where he lives, and also that his phone was in the area of the last incident.</p><p>They also received additional information that he used at least two separate accelerants - gasoline and kerosene - on the vehicles vehicles. Tests from the State Fire Marshals Office indicate gasoline was used on two of the vehicles.</p>